Beverage tapping bung



Jan. 23, 1951 w. T. GILES BEVERAGE TAPPING BUNG Filed Jan. 2, 194a I N VEN' TO A. Nil/mm 7 47/ A'TTCI RN EYS Patented Jan. 23, 1951 BEVERAGE TAPPIN G BUNG William T. Giles, shamokin, Pa.

Application January 2, 1946, Serial No. 638,655

3 Claims. (Cl. 225-3) This invention relates to an automatic sealed tap bung for beverage containers. 4

An object of the invention is to produce a device that will provide a sealed sanitary container which will dispense beer or similar beverages economically and easily.

The device has been designed to replace the conventional tap rod that extends outside of the container which in usual practice is very seldom cleaned and to replace the complicated tap which includes the Thomas valve.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which is sanitary, willfnot collect dirt and will return the container for refilling in a sealed condition in the same manner in which it left.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists of the novel details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the invention in use with a tap and applied to a container;

Figure 2 is a top view of the bung;

Figure 3 is a bottom view thereof;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an end view of the tap end fitting into the bung, and

Figure 6 is an elevational view of the removable valve seat.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the

reference numeral [0 designates the body of the bung having the standard threaded portion l2 which is adapted to be received in the threaded bung hole 14 in the container 16. The bung is provided with the flanged collar l8 which abuts the outer face of the container I6. is divided into two chambers I1 and [9 respectively by the partition 20 which is provided with the central internally threaded opening 22 to receive the removable valve seat member 24 having the circular vertical tubular cup portion 26 h The bung l0 stem 38 by a screw44. A spring 46 confined between the washer and the bottom of the portion'26 urges the valve head 36 into closed relation with the countersunk opening 34 of the valve seat member 24.

The forward tap receiving opening 48 of the bung I0 is provided with inclined locking ridges 50 communicating with the bayonet slot 5| which are adapted to engage the legs 52 on the tap 32 and when the tap is locked to the bung, the valve head 36 will be forced out of engagement with the opening 34 and the contents of the container l 6 are ready to be dispensed through the perforations 33 in the tap 32.

The tap 32 is provided with a rotary valve 54 having a spring pressed air inlet valve 56 in the end thereof communicating with the inlet passage 58 in the valve 54 and the inlet passage 60 in the tap 32.

The passage 60 communicates with the passage 62 in the bung H] which is controlled at its upper end by the valve 64 and by means of the aforementioned passageways air is permitted to enter into the container when the valve 54 is opened to dispense liquid from the container.

The tap 32 is provided with a flanged collar 66 and a gasket 68 confined between the collar 66 and the flanged collar is of the bung 10 provides an air-tight seal between these two elements.

The bottom of the chamber I9 is provided with an internally threaded opening 10 adapted to receive the bushing 12 having the hexagonal bevel 14 on a stainless steel tap tube 16 threadably connected to the bushing 12. The lower end of the tube 16 is received in the end 18 of the removable tube bushing in the bottom of the container. When the keg is empty, the bushing 80 and tube 16 can be removed for sterilization purposes. The end 18 is perforated at 82 in order that the liquid in the container l0 can enter the tube 16 and be drawn from the container. The bushing 80 also protects the tube during the handling of the container.

It is believed that the operation and construction of the device fwill be apparent and it will be seen that the tap bushin together with the tap tube may be removed from the container for sterilization purposes, or repairs if need be without disturbing the bung Ill.

It is also to be understood that various changes in the minor details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described in combination with a container and a, dispensing tap comprising a hung adapted for insertion into the bung opening of said container, a partition in said bung dividing said bung into upper and lower chambers, a valve seat member removably secured in said partition, a tubular cup portion at the upper end of the member within said upper chamber, a valve seat at the lower end of the member within said lower chamber, a spring pressed valve carried by said member for engagement with said seat and the stem on said valve extending into the cup portion of said member for engagement with said tap when said tap is inserted into said cup portion for the removal of said valve from engagement with said seat, means for locking said tap in air-tight relation with said bung, and air inlet means in said tap and said bung to permit air to enter said container during the dispensing of liquid therefrom.

2. The invention as in claim 1 wherein said tap is provided with a rotary valve which controls the air inlet means of said tap and said bung.

3. The invention as in claim 1 wherein a tap tube is connected to said bun and means provided in the bottom of said container to retain said tap tube in position and said means is provided with perforations to permit liquid in the container to be drawn therefrom.

WILLIAM T. GILES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,705,392 Bohlin g Mar. 12, 1929 2,157,966 Reisinger May 9, 1939 2,223,012 Wanderski Nov. 26, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 103,116 Germany May 12, 1899 

